Feeler mechanism for looms



\ May 1, 1923..

C. D. BROWN FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed April 5, 1922 iv g i un l)M5 135 ulmlllllmn Patented May 1, 1923. v

nite STATES an: in. new; or nobnimnn ivressnci-rosnrrs, Assienon TonnAPEn consort A- 'IION, or HOPEDALE,MASSACHUSETTS, e1 conrone'rronOFMAINE.

l rEELnn MECHANISM non Looivrs.

Ap neatien filed April '6,

'10 drawings representing like parts.

v relates to "eler mechanism for looms-whereby the filling in- ,tlieshuttle is .heheivedlrom time to'time without stopping the loom. v V

,One of the objects,,0tithe presentinven- :tio n is to provide a teelermechanism, with This invention a feeler lock which will prevent the ,leeler from calling -a change of, filling until the filling in theshuttle lias'reacheda: predetermined degree of: exhaustion. I Variousforms of feelei' locks have heretofore been deyise d but they-havedepended, in 111051; cases, upon a nieasuring i'unctio'n. of the teelerto determine,the tinie at which the feeler lockshallbe tripped tofreethe' feeler to .its. 7 indicating moyementi These yarious formsofifeeler locks have been operated to release the. feel'er by a frontwardmovement of the lock, and since the, amount vof front.- wa'r'dmoiiementflhas been dependent noon the measured amount; of feelingin thefshuttle,-,th e .feel'er lock has not 'elWays accurately performed .itsunlocking function.

Theflpresent invention, provides a feeler lock which ismounted tobe:displaced in a direction longitudinally of the shuttleby the-frontwardpressure ot a surface carried by'the-la-y, so that after such movementof the feeler locking device the feeler is freed toerfo-rm itsindicating function. n the present insta ce of the invention the feelern1echanism is'shjown as provided with a'feeler otthe inclined type.which enters the shuttle on a detecting beat inqa direction, inclinedto -the longitudinal axis of-the shuttle, and a feeler-- lo ckundercontrol of a controlling memben which, likewise entersthe shuttleonits; detectingbeatand engagesathe filling, until when the fillingreaches a). predetermined degree of exhaustion the controlling memberisvengaged by an exposed inclined surface carried by the lay toefi'ect-movement f the controlling 1922. semi No. 550,103.

A T E 1. ll C member longitudinally of shuttle perforce trip the lock.

The yarious'features thecombmation of part sxwi-thin the true ottheinyention 1 scepe thereof will best be understoodby the tion.

herein illustrated-because the present imam tion is not cencernediwiththe details thereof and it. may be of, usual charact'ei' how wellunderstood .in the' art. jNor has it been deemed necessary .toillustratelthe details of the-entire train of. mechanism for effectingreplenishment ofvfilling whenthe' fe'eler {is moved longitudinally alongthe, filling car rier. or bobbin, such train of mechanism however maybeofusual type such, for instance,- a as shown inthepatent to Edward SStimp,

i The feeler mec hanisni may be attachedto th'e looin framebyla-bracket1,to whichftlie v feeler standQ, is edjiistably jsecuredbymeans ofithe bolt i'l and slot 4 formed in'theieeler stand; The feeler 5is shown as O.f ,tl1e@incliiied type haying a toothed or, roughenedengaging end6. At: the front ofthe feeler stand 1 the feeleri passesthreugha rocking bearing 7 jpivotally supported; at 8 between a bracket9 andthe'feeler: stand, At itsrear portion the teeler stand 2 has abearing in which isvmount ed a laterally movable. slide through whichthe feelenextends.

present instance the rear formed by the lugs or p-I'OllfiClElCl'lS 19between "which is formed a guidepyay for the.lateralilyrnoyable slide 11The slide ll-ha s an opening I 65 Fig. 2 is a plan View showing theaction from lateral sliding movement.

12 through which the feeler 5 extends, such opening 12 being ofsufficient extent to permit the feeler to have a normal lateral movementtherein as it is moved front-weirdly on a detecting heat when a workingsupply of filling is in the shuttle. The feeler slide is maintained inits guide way by a cap piece.

13 which may be secured to the lugs or projections by bolts or screws14.

Between the front and rear bearings the feeler 5 carries a bridged piece15 and between the bridged piece and the front bearh1g7 is-a spring 16normally acting to move the feeler rearwardly into feeling position. Sofar as described. the feeler mechanism, when of the inclined type, maybe substantially as shown and described in the Stimpson patenthereinbefore mentioned.

The laterally movable slide 11 is provided with a locking shoulder 17,shown in the present instance as formed on the end 18 of the slide. Theslide 11 is connected by the transmitter 19 to the train of mechanismfor effecting replenishment of the filling.

Mounted on the feeler stand is the lock 20 which in the present instanceis shown as pivoted on the rear portion of the feeler stand at 21 andcarrying at its free end portion a locking finger 22 which normallystands in obstructing relation to the locking shoulder 17 of the slideand holds the sl de The lock 20 adjacent its pivotal portion is providedwith a sleeve or guide way 23 through. which passes the lock controllingmember 24. In the present instance the member 24 is provided with a slot25 through which the pivot 21 of the feeler extends, the constructionbeing such that the lock controlling member 24 may move frontwardlywithout obstruction relative to the lock. The front end portion 26 ofthe lock controlling member has attached thereto a spring 27 the rearend portion of which is secured to a lug 28 which may be convenientlyprovided with a series of holes 29 to permit ad'ust ment of tension anddirection of pul of spring 27. As indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, thespring 27 normally acts upon the lock controlling member 24 to move itrearwardly and by its direction of pull likewise normally acts to movelock 20 into locking position. A stop or shoulder 30 may if desired beformed upon the lock controlling member 24 to limit its rearwardmovement under the impulse of the spring 27.

If desired an adjustable stop 31 may be mounted upon the cap 13 of therear bearing to limit the movement of the locking arm 20 to its lockingposition under the action of the spring 27 and similarly if desired thelug 28 may be employed as an additional stop to limit the unlockingmovement of the locking arm 20. The rear portion of the lock controllingmember 24 is downturned at 32 to bring its rear end portion into a.substantially same horizontal plane as the rear end portion 6 of thefeeler. In the present instance the rear or engaging end portion of themember 24 is provided with a roller 33. i

The front wall of the shuttle box is provided with an opening 34 andlikewise the adjacent wall of the shuttle 35 is provided with an opening36 through which openings the feeler and lock controlling member mayextend into the shuttle on a detecting beat and engage the filling orsurface carried by the shuttle.

In the present instance of the invention the shuttle 35 has the usualbobbin holding jaws 37 which engage the usual rings 38 formed on thehead or large portion of the bobbin 39. v

The bobbin 39 has an inclined portion 40 which, if desired, may bestepped and when the shuttle is in the detecting box the inclinedportion 40 of the bobbin is opposite the rear or engaging end of thelock controlling member 24.

The bobbin or filling carrier 39 may have a reserve supply of filling orweft 41 wound thereon at either side of the inclined portion 40. In thepresent instance the reserve supply of filling is shown as wound to theright of the inclined portion 40.

Then a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on atdetecting beat both the feeler and the lock controlling member 24 enterthe shuttle and engage the filling and are moved frontwardly by it. Atsuch times no tendency is imparted to the lock controlling member totrip the look so that the laterally movable slide 11 remains locked andeven though the feeler may tend to move longitudinally of the shuttle,the accomplishment of such movement is prevented by the locked slide.Then however the filling reaches a predetermined degree of exhaustionand the inclined portion 40 of the bobbin is exposed for engagement bythe rear end of the lock controlling member, the frontward pressure ofthe inclined portion 40 upon the lock controlling member will cause itto be moved in a direction 1ongitudinally of the shuttle and perforcetrip the lock and free the feeler to its indicating movement. In suchcase, if the amount of filling in the shuttle which is engaged by thefeeler is sufficient to prevent movement of the feeler longitudinally ofthe shuttle. the feeler will not partake'of such movement even thoughunlocked, but when the reserve supply of filling is so far exhausted asto be unable to hold the feeler from movement longitudinally of theshuttle due bobbin-from engagement by the lock con-Y trolling member thelatter will be moved directly frontward without tendency of movementlongitudinallyof the ,shuttle, until when the inclined portion 4.0 ofthe bobbin is exposed for engagement by'the lock controlling member, thefrontward pressure upon the latter will effect its movementlongitudinally of the shuttle. This construction is the preferred formor type because no injurionseifect '-is exerted upon the filling bytlieengaging en'd'of the lock controlling'memberbut in somecases wherethe'bobbin may not have aninclined surface for engagement by the lockcontrolling member, the latter may be, placed in an in clined position.A reserve supply of filling also may be placednearer the base portion orhead of the bobbin in which'case the feeler will act upon that portionof the bobbi'n towards the head or-base thereof rather than in theopposite, direction as shown til) lVhatis claimed is: Y

1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the.

combination of a feeler mounted formovement towards and-from the frontofthe loom and also in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, a feelerlock which prevents replenishment of the filling in the shuttle untilthe filling is substantially exhausted, a bobbin engaging member whichis moved in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontwardpressure upon it when the filling is substantially exhausted on adetecting beat to trip the lock and free the feeler, and means actuatedbyniovement of the feeler for effecting replenishment of filling.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, and afeeler lock controlling member both of which enter the shuttle on adetecting beat and engage the filling, a feeler lock controlled by saidmem her, and a surface within the shuttle which is exposed forengagement by the feeler lock controlling member "and acting. byfrontward pressure thereon to movethe controlling member in a directionlongitudinally of the shuttle when thefilling has reached apredetermined degree of exhaustion on a detecting beat to thereby tripthe lock and free the feeler.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of'a feeler and afeelerlock controlling member both of which enter the shuttle and engagethe filling on detect -"v in-g beat when -a working supply ofbfillingispresent in" the shuttle, a bobbincar-ried by the shuttle havinganinclined' -surface [which is exposed for engagement bythe feeler lockjcontrolling member 'when the} filling in the shuttle has been exhaustedto I I a predetermined extent and acting'by-f-ron't ward pressure tomovethe saidmember in a direction longitudinally of the bObbHi, and

a feeler; lock which is-tripped byy-the jcon} trollingmemberwhen'i-t'is' movedlon'gitu l dinally off-the shuttle.

4. A feeler mechanism for looms, com; prlslng, 1n combinatlon, a feeler,a feeler 8o; lock, both of which enter the shuttle on each I detectingbeat and a feeler-lockcontrolling member mounted for displace-ment in adirection longitudinally along the fillin rier by thefrontward pressureof the filling carrier uponitwhen-the filling issubstant-i'ally'exhausted on' a detecting beat, and connectionsbetweenthefeelerlock and controlling memberfor tripping-1 the lock andfreeing the feeler when the controlling 0 carmember is displacedlongitudinallyof the shuttle on a detecting beat. 7 p v i 7 5. A; feelermechanism for looms, comprising, in combination; a feelers a feeler 1 Vlock, and -afeeler lock controlling member having a rolling contact endfor eng agement with a surface within'the shuttlean'd mounted fordisplacement in-a: direction; 1

longitudinally of the shutt-leby the front wardpriessure .of a surfacewithin the shuttle when the filling is; substantially exl.

hausted'on a detecting .beat,- a'nd connections A between -the feelerlock and controlling f member for tripping the lock and freeing thefeeler when the controlling member is displacedlongitudinally of theshuttle on adetecting beatj r 6. In a feelermechanism for looms, thecombination of a feeler supported to enter the shuttle in a directioninclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, a laterally movableslidethrough which the feeler 'extends and which is" givenlateralsliding movementby the feeler when the feeler is moved along thefillingcarrier or bobbin on v 1 a'detecting beat, connections withthe slide forefi'ectmg replenishment offilling, a lock for holding the slide fromlateral movement until the filling is substantially.exhausted on adetecting beat, and a lock controllingmemher moved" in direction"longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward ressure upon it when thefilling is substantially exhausted to free the slide for movement by thefeeler.

7.-In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination .of a feeler supported to enter 1 the shuttle in a directionvinclined to the longitudinal axis of'the shuttle, a fee er lock. v

a feeler lock controlling member supported to enter theshu ttle'and'engage thefilling on at detecting beat until the filling issubstantially exhausted and then engage an inclined surface of thefilling carrier and displaced in a direction longitudinally of theshuttle by the frontward pressure upon it, and connections between thelock and con trolling member for tripping the lock and freeing thefeeler. I

S. A feeler mechanism for looms, having in combination a feelersupported to enter the shuttle in a direction inclined tothelongitudinal axis thereof on a detecting beat, a laterally movable slidethrough which the feeler extends, a lock for locking the slide fromlateral movement, a lock controlling member supported to enter theshuttle on a detecting beat and engage the filling until the fillingreaches a predetermined degree of exhaustion and then to engage and tobe moved longitudinally along the filling carrier or bobbin by thefrontward pressure, and connections between the controlling member andlock for freeing the slide to lateral movement when the controllingmember is movedlongitudinally alongthe filling'carrier or bobbin.

()pln a feeler mechanism for looms,'the

combination of a feeler supported to enter the shuttle in a directioninclined to the longitudinal axis'of the shuttle on a detecting beat, alaterally movable slide through which the feeler extends, a lock havinga locking finger for engaging the slide and holding it from lateralmovement, and a lock controlling member connected to the lock andlaterally displaced in a direction-longitudinally of the shuttle by thefrontward pressureupon it to tri the lock andfree the slide when thefilling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

10. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, afeeler lock, and a feeler lock controlling member, connections betweenthe feeler lock and controlling mem her which permitsmovement of thecontrolling member frontward ly relative to thelock on each detectingbeat, means normally acting to return the controlling member rearwardlywhen it has been displaced frontwardly on the beat-up, and an inclinedsurface carried by the shuttle to cause the front-ward pressure againstthe controlling member to move it in a direction longitudinally of theshuttle when the filling has reached a predetern'iined degree ofexhaustion and thereby trip the lock.

11. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mountedto be displaced in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by thefrontward pressure upon it when the filling is substantially exhaustedon a detecting beat, a lock for preventing premature movement of thefeeler longitudinally of the shuttle, and a controller for the lockwhich engages an inclined surface on the filling carrier when thefilling is sub stantially exhausted on a detecting beat and is itselflaterally displaced by the frontward pressure of the inclined surface totrip the lock. i

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CARL n. BROWN.

